The present invention relates to a portable x-ray cassette holder and especially to a simplified x-ray cassette holder for taking x-rays of a patient on site.
In the past, there have been a large number of x-ray cassette holders of different types for use in connection with taking x-rays. Most of the prior art x-ray cassette holding devices are made for use in hospitals or other medical facility and are used to position the x-ray cassette holding the x-ray film which cassette is a radiolucent container which can be inserted into a holder to hold the film in place during the making of an x-ray exposure of a patient.
The present invention relates to a portable and comfortable bed top x-ray table cassette holder or film holder for the purposes of making x-ray exams and specifically for making on-site x-ray exams, such as with geriatrics patients in either a supine or vertical position. In the supine position, the present cassette holder is placed between the bed ridden patient and a bed mattress, which can be a firm or soft mattress or even a water floatation mattress, for the purpose of taking radiographs of the patient. When used in a vertical position, the patient is placed sitting on the edge of a bed, table, or other surface alongside the x-ray cassette holder and lateral chest radiography is accomplished. With the increase in medical technology, a larger proportion of the citizens tend to live longer lives and, as a result, there is a dramatic increase in the numbers who require convalescent care and with the improvement of the convalescent care, it is desirable to have these facilities as comfortable as possible for the patients during diagnostic procedures. One major difference between a typical patient in a medical facility and a convalescent patient is the agility of their bodies, with many of the older patients having osteoporosis and extremely delicate bone structure or have thin skin with little subcutaneous fat to cushion their bodies who may have decubitus ulcers or bed sores. Typically, mobile radiographic techniques are used to diagnose various conditions in convalescent patients. The convalescent radiography is performed on site at retirement homes and the like. Patients with osteoporosis, muscle atrophy, joint stiffness, and immobility are typically difficult to place an x-ray cassette under for taking the x-rays necessary for diagnostic purposes. Care must be used to avoid fractures of the vertebrae, tearing of the annular intervertebral, disc fibers, and avulsion of ligamentation and muscle fiber attachments.
There are several prior art cart top cassette holders which have not been found to be very practical in common usage because they cannot be loaded when placed upon a soft mattress and cannot be loaded from the side and slid to a desired position. None of these prior art carts were available with a level to correct beam angulation associated with table tilt on a soft mattress or water floatation and none of the prior models are small enough to be carried by hand or hanging from a portable x-ray unit. These prior art carts do not allow the patient to be easily and gently rolled onto the cassette holder at bed top and are not devised for the adherence of a friction-free skin pad to provide a comfortable cushion for the patient and the patient's head.
On site chest x-rays are routinely performed with portable units in convalescent centers and at bedside. Standard portable chest x-rays consist of an anterior to posterior view but it is desirable to also have this view accompanied with a lateral or side view. Typically, technicians sit patients up on a bedside, stack up pillows, and support the cassette with the pillows. The present invention, on the otherhand, provides a means for lateral chest radiography which is portable and in which the x-ray cassette and film are held in place at the correct level and with the patient holding the device during the exposure. The present invention also increases the patient's comfort and reduces patient motion on film and thus reduces the repeat rates and costs of taking the x-rays.
Prior art U.S. patents relating to x-ray film holders and the like can be seen in the Ruiz patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,124, for an x-ray film holder for patients in a wheelchair and allows the cassettes to be attached or clamped to the wheelchair and in the Hayton, et al. patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,364, for an x-ray cassette holder for a trauma stretcher. The Friedman patent, U.S. Pat. No. 2,569,561, shows a combined film holder and drain pan for radiographic examinations while the Barr et al. patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,418, shows another emergency trauma board which holds an x-ray cassette for emergency x-rays. The Cook, III patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,323, is a combined portable x-ray table and stretcher which allows the placement of x-ray cassettes in different positions while immobilizing the patient. The Trott patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,045, teaches a cart for x-ray cassette holder which allows the x-ray cassette holders to be placed in a plurality of different positions. The Filips et al. patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,574, teaches a mattress having a built-in x-ray cassette holder. The Weatherholt patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,156,145, is an x-ray support for positioning a patient relative to a flat surface during x-ray diagnosis or radiation therapy. The Reed patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,207, is a film cassette holder for facilitating the taking of x-rays of the cranium and skeletal structures and is a portable unit. The Grimm patent, U.S. Pat. No. 2,568,191, is an adjustable alignment platform for x-ray tables.
The present portable x-ray cassette holder, in contrast to the prior art, is specifically designed for taking on-site x-rays of elderly patients and the like on the patient's own bed in either a supine position or taking a lateral view without the assistance of anyone but the patient in supporting the cassette in the proper position and provides for holding the cassette as well as the alignment of the cassette for the x-ray.